23 upscale places in Carmel-by-the-Sea, editor-picked. occasion restaurants in Carmel-by-the-Sea: destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Carmel-by-the-Sea food.
La Bicyclette ★ 4.6
Dolores Street · Dolores St & 7th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
La Bicyclette runs a wood-fired village bistro at Dolores and 7th in Carmel, pizzas coming off the oven beside the Georis family's country cooking.
Tip: Reservations open 90 days out, but the family keeps 40% of the small room for walk-ins, so an early arrival usually finds a seat.
Cultura Comida y Bebida ★ 4.6
Dolores Street · Dolores St between 5th & 6th Ave, Su Vecino Courtyard, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Cultura Comida y Bebida cooks Oaxacan food in Carmel's Su Vecino Courtyard, backed by a mezcal library and a kitchen that sources from Oaxaca itself.
Tip: The mezcal library is the deepest pour in the village; ask the bar to build you a short flight before committing to a bottle page.
Akaoni ★ 4.6
Mission Street · Mission St & 6th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Akaoni serves traditional Japanese cooking and sushi at Mission and 6th in Carmel, a small room listed in the Michelin Guide and booked by phone.
Tip: Seats are few and hours are short; call ahead, and remember lunch only runs Thursday through Saturday.
Akaoni ★ 4.6
Mission Street · Mission St & 6th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Akaoni serves traditional Japanese cooking and sushi at Mission and 6th in Carmel, a small room listed in the Michelin Guide and booked by phone.
Tip: Seats are few and hours are short; call ahead, and remember lunch only runs Thursday through Saturday.
Casanova ★ 4.5
Mission Street · 5th Ave between Mission & San Carlos, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Casanova serves French-Italian cooking in a candlelit Carmel cottage whose dining room keeps the table Van Gogh ate at daily at the Auberge Ravoux.
Tip: Ask about the Van Gogh table when you book; the restaurant takes inquiries for it by email and that corner of the room fills first.
Il Tegamino ★ 4.5
Ocean Avenue · Ocean Ave between Lincoln & Monte Verde, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Il Tegamino hides in Carmel's Court of the Golden Bough off Ocean Avenue, a small family-run room cooking Italian comfort food behind a candy shop.
Tip: Find the courtyard entrance tucked behind the Cottage of Sweets; the room is tiny, so book before you plan the rest of the evening.
Casanova ★ 4.5
Mission Street · 5th Ave between Mission & San Carlos, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Casanova candlelights a Carmel cottage at 5th and Mission for French-Italian dinners, seating guests around the Van Gogh table when it is booked.
Tip: Ask about the Van Gogh table when you book; the restaurant takes inquiries for it by email and that corner of the room fills first.
The Stationaery ★ 4.5
San Carlos Street · San Carlos St, 3 NE of 6th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
The Stationaery cooks seasonal California brunch daily in a Carmel courtyard off San Carlos Street, adding natural wine dinners Thursday to Sunday.
Tip: Brunch books out on Tock even midweek; the courtyard tables go first, and the dinner service stays quieter than the morning one.
Caraccioli Cellars Tasting Room ★ 4.5
Dolores Street · Dolores St between Ocean & 7th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Caraccioli Cellars pours its Santa Lucia Highlands sparkling wines at a marble bar on Dolores Street in Carmel, open seven days for tastings.
Tip: Start the village wine walk here with bubbles; the room is intimate, so parties above four should call ahead for a reservation.
Il Tegamino ★ 4.5
Ocean Avenue · Ocean Ave between Lincoln & Monte Verde, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Il Tegamino hides in Carmel's Court of the Golden Bough off Ocean Avenue, a small family-run room cooking Italian comfort food behind a candy shop.
Tip: Find the courtyard entrance tucked behind the Cottage of Sweets; the room is tiny, so book before you plan the rest of the evening.
The Stationaery ★ 4.5
San Carlos Street · San Carlos St, 3 NE of 6th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
The Stationaery serves Carmel's most-booked brunch daily until 15:00 in a courtyard off San Carlos Street, seasonal plates beside natural wine.
Tip: Brunch books out on Tock even midweek; the courtyard tables go first, and the dinner service stays quieter than the morning one.
Flying Fish Grill ★ 4.4
Carmel Plaza · Mission St between Ocean & 7th Ave, Carmel Plaza lower level, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Flying Fish Grill cooks East-West seafood on Carmel Plaza's lower level, running from salmon and lobster to abalone and clay pot dinners nightly.
Tip: Book by phone between 09:00 and 16:00; the timbered room is small, split dinners carry a $10 charge, and the patio takes walk-ins.
Flaherty's Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar ★ 4.4
Dolores Street · 6th Ave between Dolores & San Carlos St, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Flaherty's Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar anchors 6th Avenue in Carmel with freshly shucked oysters, its famous clam chowder and wild-caught sand dabs.
Tip: Chowder and the raw bar carry the menu; lunch is the easier seat, and the crispy calamari makes the best table-opener.
Vesuvio ★ 4.4
Junipero Street · Corner of 6th Ave & Junipero St, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Vesuvio runs the Pepe family's wood-fired Neapolitan kitchen at 6th and Junipero in Carmel, with the rooftop Star Bar pouring above the dining room.
Tip: The rooftop Star Bar takes no reservations; it closes at 22:00 on weeknights and runs to 23:00 on Friday and Saturday.
Albatross Ridge Tasting Room ★ 4.4
Dolores Street · Dolores St between Ocean & 6th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Albatross Ridge pours the Bowlus family's estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on Dolores Street in Carmel, staying open until 20:00 at the weekend.
Tip: Walk-ins are welcome, but weekend evenings fill; it is one of the later-pouring rooms, useful once the 18:00 closers wind down.
Little Napoli ★ 4.3
Dolores Street · Corner of Dolores St & 7th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Little Napoli plates Chef Pepe's southern Italian family recipes at Dolores and 7th in Carmel, with Bar Napoli pouring beside the dining room.
Tip: Bar Napoli's happy hour runs Sunday to Friday 16:00-18:00, and weekend lunch from 11:30 is the only lunch service of the week.
Yafa ★ 4.3
Junipero Street · Junipero St & 5th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Yafa runs a family-owned Mediterranean dinner house at Junipero and 5th in Carmel, open nightly from 17:00 with hosts who still work every table.
Tip: The room fills with return visitors and celebrations; reserve ahead, and note dinner is the only service of the day.
Terry's Restaurant + Lounge ★ 4.3
Lincoln Street · Lincoln St & 7th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Terry's Restaurant + Lounge holds down Doris Day's Cypress Inn in Carmel, mixing cocktails in a lounge that welcomes dogs indoors all afternoon.
Tip: The lounge runs live music and welcomes dogs indoors, a Cypress Inn tradition dating to Doris Day's ownership of the hotel.
The Restaurant at Mission Ranch ★ 4.3
Mission Trail · 26270 Dolores St, Carmel, CA 93923
The Restaurant at Mission Ranch serves a walk-in Sunday buffet brunch at Clint Eastwood's ranch below the Carmel Mission, meadow and bay beyond.
Tip: No reservations except holiday brunches; put your name down, take a drink to the deck and watch the sheep until the table calls.
Hog's Breath Inn ★ 4.2
San Carlos Street · San Carlos St between 5th & 6th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Hog's Breath Inn, the Carmel courtyard restaurant Clint Eastwood founded in 1970, reopened in August 2025 restored with steaks and clam chowder.
Tip: New operator Lee Morcus calls the 2025 restoration a tribute, not a reinvention; the sunken courtyard fireplaces survived the remodel.
Hog's Breath Inn ★ 4.2
San Carlos Street · San Carlos St between 5th & 6th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Hog's Breath Inn keeps its bar pouring to midnight in Carmel, the 1970 Clint Eastwood original restored in 2025 with its courtyard fireplaces.
Tip: New operator Lee Morcus calls the 2025 restoration a tribute, not a reinvention; the sunken courtyard fireplaces survived the remodel.
Hog's Breath Inn ★ 4.2
San Carlos Street · San Carlos St between 5th & 6th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Hog's Breath Inn serves Carmel's latest full dinner, the kitchen running to 23:00 on Friday and Saturday and the courtyard bar pouring on to 00:30.
Tip: New operator Lee Morcus calls the 2025 restoration a tribute, not a reinvention; the sunken courtyard fireplaces survived the remodel.
Terry's Restaurant + Lounge ★ 4.1
Lincoln Street · Lincoln St & 7th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Terry's Restaurant + Lounge lays Sunday brunch inside Doris Day's Cypress Inn in Carmel from 11:00, and the dog is welcome at the next chair.
Tip: The lounge runs live music and welcomes dogs indoors, a Cypress Inn tradition dating to Doris Day's ownership of the hotel.